Result of Service

The consultant will conduct an analysis of methodologies and a country inventory assessment of 14 countries. The consultant will develop an assessment of the main scientific vacuums and methodological difficulties faced by countries on meetings their reporting commits to the UNFCCC.

Work Location

Copenhagen – Remote possible

Expected duration

10 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UN Environment Programme (Global Climate Action Unit) is the DRI of the Climate Science and Transparency Programme Coordination Project (CS&T PCP). CS&T aims at contributing to the long-term climate stability objectives of the MTS, through transparent reporting and enhanced global climate action. The program’s objective is to strengthen UNEP’s role in supporting high-quality, credible, open, and disaggregated climate and environmental data, information, statistics, and early warning, as well as scientific assessments and expertise while providing technical and financial support to countries in reporting under the UNFCCC to achieve the following outcome: State and non-state actors adopt the Enhanced Transparency Framework arrangements under the Paris Agreement. By engaging with various stakeholders, including national and local governments, international partners, and UN agencies, the program aims to overcome barriers to reporting, monitoring, and verifying/evaluating climate actions, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future. National greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories serve as the primary source of information for generating reports to the UNFCCC, including National Communications, Biennial Update Reports (BURs), and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). These data play a crucial role in providing international policy guidance for addressing climate change through the UNFCCC negotiation process and are also expected to inform national policy-making. However, the accuracy of GHG inventories remains a challenge due to methodological, procedural, and infrastructural complexities in data collection, measurement, processing, and storage, as well as financial constraints on investing in transparency. Advances in digital technology for data collection and processing have shown promising opportunities to improve accuracy and reduce costs in national and global transparency efforts. For example, remote sensing provides low-cost, accurate, and recurrent data on methane emissions, and AI can increasingly track transactions tagged with GHG data. Despite these advancements, national GHG accounting and reporting to the UNFCCC often operate separately from the latest digital data collection and processing initiatives. Recognizing this gap, UNEP’s Climate Science and Transparency Programme has identified the need for a comparative analysis between national GHG inventories and data from third-party systems such as Climate Trace, Global Forest Watch, EDGAR, and MARS. Previously, UNEP conducted a similar analysis on forest inventories through a GEF project that compared national forestry inventories with data from Global Forest Watch. This comparison helped inform countries about the differences between national GHG inventory data and GHG emissions data from third-party systems. The study also supported national forest-related decision-making. This country study aims to test existing systems’ data and compare them with national GHG inventory data. If both datasets are sufficiently aligned, this would: a) provide third-party validation of national GHG inventories and their accuracy, and b) offer an additional reference point to further advance digital transparency solutions. If national reporting, GHG accounting, and digitally produced data do not align, UNEP, partner countries, and organizations will need to conduct further studies to investigate the reasons behind such discrepancies.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced degree in the field of environmental engineering, data science, statistics, or similar is required. Proficiency in advanced data processing methods, knowledge of IPCC methodologies, and the UNFCCC tools and software. Strong experience in UNFCCC reporting, including development of national GHG inventories and NDC tracking is required. Knowledge of cutting-edge climate science, methodologies for carbon accounting, and reporting for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies. Experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting, ensuring transparency and accuracy in climate-related information. Experience in national processes including alignment of climate science communication with national and international climate policies, agreements, and goals.

Languages

English is the working language of the UN.

Additional Information

The consultant will: 1. CS&T PCP management support The consultant will support the Climate Science and Transparency Programme Coordination Project (CS&T PCP) Management to ensure efficient operation, coordination, and implementation of the programme’s activities, facilitating the achievement of its goals and objectives. Specific tasks and responsibilities • PCP coordination and Monitoring. Assist in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the CS&T PCP projects. Track project timelines, deliverables, and milestones to ensure they are met on schedule. Prepare regular progress reports and updates for the management team. • Data Management and Analysis. Collect, organize, and maintain project-related data and documentation. Conduct data analysis to support decision-making and project evaluations. Communication. Serve as a point of contact between the CS&T PCP management team, and internal UNEP teams. Facilitate effective communication and information flow among all parties involved. Draft and disseminate correspondence, meeting agendas, minutes, and other relevant documents. Logistical Support. Assist in organizing meetings, workshops, and events related to the CS&T PCP. Handle logistical arrangements, including venue booking, travel coordination, and participant communication. Ensure that all logistical aspects are executed smoothly and efficiently. Financial Administration. Support the financial management of the CS&T PCP, including budget tracking and expenditure monitoring. Prepare financial reports and assist in the preparation of funding proposals. Ensure compliance with financial policies and procedures. Reporting and Documentation. Prepare comprehensive reports, presentations, and documentation for internal and external audiences. Ensure that all project documentation is up-to-date, organized, and accessible. Feedback and Improvement. Gather feedback from UNEP team members to identify areas for improvement. Implement changes and enhancements to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the CS&T PCP. 2. CS&T PCP technical support Specific tasks and responsibilities • Conduct a foundational investigation This foundational investigation is based on the initial findings conducted by the Climate Action subprogramme. The team compared data from 8 national inventories (4 Annex I Parties and 4 non-Annex I Parties) and Climate Trace data sets. This initial comparison concluded that there are some discrepancies in total emissions for Annex I Parties and discrepancies in emissions per gas. Climate Trace and national inventories also do not use the same sector categories. Climate Trace uses Agriculture, Buildings, Fluorinated Gases, Fossil fuel operations, Forestry and Land Use, Manufacturing, Mineral extraction, Power, Transportation and Waste. National inventories, following the 2006 IPCC guidelines use Buildings, Industry, Energy, AFOLU and Transport. The consultant will review these initial findings and will conduct the same investigation with data from EDGAR. • Methodologies comparison The consultant will conduct an analysis of the methodologies from third-party systems and national inventories is essential to determine if a comparison between these two entities is even possible. If the methodologies don’t align, it will be difficult to come up with relevant results. • Identification of countries to be engaged in a comprehensive comparative analysis The consultant will seek to pick 14 countries with different circumstances (economies in transition, developed countries and smaller developing countries) to participate in this country inventory assessment. Country selection will be based on country willingness, ongoing transparency activities, advanced GHG accounting and reporting, and where there is already a good working relationship to build upon. • Conduct study • The consultant will conduct the study which consists of analysing the differences and similarities between national inventory data and data from third party systems. • Conduct an extensive desk review of existing national GHG inventories, scientific literature, and UNFCCC documentation to identify gaps and methodological challenges. • Analyze previous reports and identify common issues and recurring gaps in the scientific data and methodologies used by countries. • Engage with key stakeholders, including national climate agencies, scientific institutions, and relevant government departments, to gather insights on challenges faced in reporting. • Conduct interviews, focus group discussions, or workshops to understand the perspectives of those involved in the reporting process. • Evaluate the existing capacity within countries to collect, process, and report scientific data related to climate change. • Identify areas where additional capacity-building efforts may be required to address scientific vacuums. • Provide recommendations The consultant will produce results based on the analysis of methodologies and the country inventory assessment and recommendations on whether this country inventory assessment could lead to a wider UNEP project where multiple countries would be engaged, and we would build up interactions between national systems and international systems. • Develop comprehensive guidance documents that address specific methodological challenges identified during the assessment. • Provide clear instructions and best practices for countries to improve the accuracy and reliability of their reported data. • Organize workshops and training sessions for national stakeholders to disseminate guidance on addressing scientific gaps and improving reporting methodologies. • Tailor workshops to specific challenges identified in different countries. • Define indicators and criteria that capture the quality and comprehensiveness of scientific data in national reports. • Document the entire assessment process, including methodologies used, challenges faced, and lessons learned. • Prepare comprehensive reports and presentations to communicate findings to UNFCCC stakeholders.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.